ARTIST STERLING RUBY'S LA HOUSE & STUDIO ARE KNOTTY PINE PERFECTION

Sunland is a relatively sparsely populated, scenic area in LA, in between the Verdugo and San Gabriel Mountains.

Artist Sterling Ruby‘s live-work compound is on the market there. It was designed in 2009 by Ruby in collaboration with three architects from SCI-Arc, Sandy Watts, Tammy Ho, and Simon Storey. It has several trees built into the structure of the house, which references both Scandinavian and Japanese design. But it’s cabin-like warmth would also look at home in The Catskill Mountains in upstate New York, where I currently live.

It has 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms across 2,331 square feet. The charred-wood exterior contrasts the interior, done in floor-to-ceiling knotty pine paneling. There are LOTS of built-in shelves and cabinets, all done in the same wood. It has concrete floors throughout and a simple concrete-block fireplace. A nod to artist Sol Lewitt’s iconic concrete-block structures.

ASHTRAY 457, 2018

The listing agent at Sotheby’s, Carol Stewart says, 

“Sterling has mentioned that a good cabinetmaker, someone who understands space, is sometimes the most valuable thing when making a place to live.” 

There are multiple outdoor decks making indoor-outdoor LA living easy. There’s one off the master with a Japanese-style soaking tub, one with built-in seating, and another overlooking the hills. 

There are existing plans for a pool and the half-acre property also comes with a studio workshop with a loft and a garage. Plus, a kiln room, which in LA, is a must. (Bring your own yoga mat.)

Overall, it is chic as fuck and I’d live there in a heartbeat. You can too for $1,189,000

(Photos, Zen House Collective for Sotheby’s International Realty; via LA Curbed)